Current U-M Running back Mike Hart took the student-athlete insult personally. "When you graduate from the University of Michigan and talk about your school like that, a great institution like we have, to say that we are not true student athletes... it's coming from a guy who maybe wants to coach here and is mad he didn't get a job here," said Hart. "A guy like that I have no respect for."

"It's funny to me because we don't let great student-athletes in, but he just accepted one of our transfers (former U-M quarterback Jason Forcier). What kind of sense does that make? He obviously wants guys like us at his school, and he's mad because he can't get them."

And, as any longtime fan of the program can attest, in probably the most telling rebuke one associated with the team can level against another, Hart added, "He's not a Michigan man."

Former Wolverine running back Jamie Morris, who played with Harbaugh and considered him a close friend, said the two no longer speak as a result of Harbaugh's dickish comments.

When Harbaugh called Morris not long after the comments were published, Morris reportedly told Fredo, "You didn't hurt Michigan, you hurt your coach, and you hurt the guys you played with. These are the teammates you turned your back on."

But that's not all that was said as this exclusive MZone transcript reveals...

JAMIE "MICHAEL CORLEONE" MORRIS: Jim, you're my old quarterback, and I love you. But don't ever take sides with anyone against the Family again. Ever. "FREDO" HARBAUGH: I'm you're old teammate, Jamie. And I was stepped over! I had to take the fucking Stanford job because nobody's talking about me as Michigan's next coach!"MICHAEL CORLEONE" MORRIS: That's the way Bo wanted it."FREDO" HARBAUGH: It ain't the way I wanted it! I can handle being Michigan's coach! I'm smart! Not like everybody says... like dumb... I'm smart and I want respect!"MICHAEL CORLEONE" MORRIS: Jim, you're nothing to me now. You're not a Michigan man, you're not a friend. I don't want to know you or what you do - since I'll be able to read about your shit Cardinal team getting ass-raped each week in the paper. I don't want to see you at team reunions, I don't want you near the Big House. When you visit Bo's grave, I want to know a day in advance, so I won't be there. You understand?

Ed. Note: From this day forward, Jim Harbaurgh will now be known on this site - and we encourage other Michigan sites to follow suit - as Fredo Harbaugh.

Why would Stanford engage in this? If he turns things around for them, great, but after hearing what this guy said about Michigan and the brown nosing that he engaged in at the Pac-10 media days it seems that Stanford hired the wrong end of a donkey. In fact I apologize to donkeys everywhere for just having insulted them with that comparison.

Maybe he was just saying the truth, and it's you guys that are in denial ... Either way, his comments are pretty self serving: i don't see anything constructive about what he said.

But it doesn't come as any sort of news to me, i've known this goes on everywhere in CFB, but UM fans always think their particular institution is "hollier than thou".

Let's be honest, this guy didn't betray a "family" he just called it like he saw it. When he was winning games for you, nobody said he was an ass. Now, he voices an opinion, and he's "Fredo"? Please ...

It's a pretty classless way to tell the truth. Basically, his comments said "those kids aren't good enough to be at the University of Michigan. They aren't smart enough. And those that are, are discouraged from pursuing their dreams."

We can sit here on the outside and say, "yes, that is the truth." But what if you are on the inside? What if you are a current player? That's pretty damn insulting, to be told you aren't intelligent enough to be there, and your family is cutting corners for you. And while there may be some generalized truth, Harbaugh has no idea how hard some of the student athletes work in school, what their goals and dreams are, etc. His comments were arrogant and elitist. Raising graduation rates is a great goal, and Michigan should raise their standards.

He could have said "one thing I'd like to do now that I'm a D1 coach is work with Stanford, the Pac 10, and the NCAA to improve graduation rates. I feel this is an important issue that coaches too often neglect. We need to examine it nationwide, and it might mean every school tightening their athlete admissions standards to ensure the athletes admitted are able to succeed at that institution's academic standards without cutting corners."

I can appreciate people being off-book and candid, which is how I'd describe Mike Hart's reaction; Harbaugh, however, was the only one who crossed lines.

first, this is a very funny play on the Godfather (one of the best movies ever, although it does "insist upon itself").

second, i don't think anyone's in denial or trying to cover up the acceptance standards/class loads at michigan as some sort of secret. all schools (including flippin' stanford) have different standards for players (not just football) than other students. it varies by degree from school to school, but almost everyone has the two tier approach.

to me, the worst part of this is the gratuitous nature of what he said. he could have just talked about stanfords high academic demands and their limits on recruiting. he didn't need to go on and trash his coach and team mates. it served no purpose other than for him to hear himself talk longer.

for example, compare this reaction to the reaction to corwin brown's comments. he caught some flack but for the most part everyone understood that brown works for ND, he's recruiting for ND, and he needs to get kids to come to ND. i can't blame him for telling a recruit that's down to either michigan or nd that he wanted to go to nd (and wants the recruit to go to nd, too). he was doing his job and making a living.

Fredo just shot off his mouth to listen to himself. even tosu fans will back us up that the guy's always had a loose tongue. this time he wagged at the home crowd and is still too stupid to stop while he's behind. http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070805/SPORTS06/708050604/1054

Yost: The following is an excerpt from Tony Barnhart's column in today's Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

"During the Pac-10’s media days Harbaugh suggested that the 2007 team from Southern Cal might be one of the best of all time. It was hyperbole, to be sure, but harmless.

But then he did the unthinkable, at least for a Michigan man. Harbaugh, for reasons known only unto him, suggested that…GASP!…his alma mater cuts academic corners to get great football players into school and keep them eligible.

Needless to say, Harbaugh has been cut out of the Michigan family quicker than Michael Corleone dispatched Freddo."

I don't know if Mr. Barnhart is an MZone reader, but 5'll get you 10 he has been here at least once.

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